Lobster trap



` June 16. 1925.

A. A. AXIOTES LOBSTER TRAP Filed Feb, 2, 1925 HIIII.

.M3/wey Patented June 16, 1925.

i UNITED ,STATES ANTHONY A.. Amores, or Nnwron'r, RHODE rsLAND.

` LOBSTER TRAP.

application mea February e, V1925. serial No. 6,28?.

To all whom t may concern.' c

Be it known that I7 ANTHONY A. Axrorns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newport, `in the county of Newport and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LobsterTraps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lobster traps of the mechanical or automatictype.

The essential objects of my invention are to amplify the area ofvisibility of the bait through the entrance opening whereby enticementis increased; to impartV a more positive action ofthe automatic partsthan :is afforded by gravity; to prevent escape of the 'trapped lobster;and to attain these ends in an inexpensively fabricated and easilyapplied structure. j

To the above ends essentially my invene tion consists in such parts. andin such combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In the accompanyingv drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my trap,

Figure 2, a section of the same on lme 2--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure a, an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the entrance viewed fromthe front and in the direction of the arrows on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Lilie reference characters parts throughout the views.

The body, frame, or case of my trap may be `composed of any desired orusual ma terial `and as shown is composed of slats. It comprises abottom 6, top 7 sides 8, a rear end wall 9, and front `wall 10. In thisinstance the front wall l() is rearwardly and upwardly inclined7 withits lower end engaging the forward edge of the bottom 6, and its upperend contacting with or adjacent` to the top 7 In its upper portion thewall 10 is centrally cut away to form a rectangular opening for thereception of the automatic closure. The closure comprises two similarmechanisms mounted at opposite portions of the opening and a descriptionof one will serve for both.- A metal or wire rod or post 17 has itslower end bent to form a laterally extending hook shaped attachingportion 18 fixed to wall indicate like 10 below the opening by anattaching screw 19, while` the upper end of the post is attached to thewall at a point above the opening. In this case the latter attachingmeans consists of a forwardly and downwardly directed hook portion 2Oembracing the upper edge of the wall. A metal door 22 has a lateral edgebent to form a hinge sleeve 23 loose on Vthe post. The door issubstantially the length of the opening 15 and has its lower free cornerdiagonally bent forwardly and upwardly to form a projecting portion 24e.A resilient wire arm 25 supported at its upper end by the wall 10extends diagonally downward along the front face of the door andslidably engages an intermediate portion of the lower edge of the latterby means of an upwardly bent hook 26. The upper end of the spring arm,as herein shown, has a downwardly directed hook portion 27 in lateralengagement with the portion 2O and integral therewith at its end wherebyis formed a loop 28.

The body portions of the doors 22 are usually normally maintained by thearms 25 in converging planes with their adjacent lateral edges spacedfrom each other to pro* duce an intervening space 30, while thetriangular inwardly projecting portions 24e are in overlappingengagement with each other. i

The lobster, as he raises himself upon the lower margin of the wall 10,is enabled to secure a clear view of the bait upon the floor in the rearend of the trap and is thus encouraged to proceed. IIe next attempts topress through the opening 30, and in so doing distende or opens thedoors 22 in passing therethrough, so that the doors assume the sameposition as that shown in broken lines in Figure l. After his passagethe spring arms 22 return the doors to original closed position.

I claim:

1. In a lobster trap, a case provided with an opening, posts mountedupon the case at the margins of the opening, inwardly directed doorspivotally supported on the posts, lateral projections upon the adjacentlower portions of the doors disposed in overlapping relation to eachother, and spring means for maintaining the projections ininterengagement.

2. In a lobster trap, a case provided with an opening, posts mountedupon the case at the margins of the opening, inwardly converging doorspivotally supported upon the posts with their adjacent portions normallyspaced from each other, laterally projecting portions upon tbe lowerportions of the doors overlapping each other, and spring arms supportedby the case engaging' the doors.

3. In a lobster trap, a case provided with an opening, posts carried bythe case at opposite margins of tlie opening, doors pivotally mountedupon the posts, and downwardly directed resilient arms supported vby thecase above the doors loosely engaging the lower edges of the doors.

4. In a lobster trap, a case provided with an opening, posts fast toopposite margins of the opening, doors pivotally mounted upon the posts,downwardly directed resilient arms upon the upper ends of the posts, andhooks upon the lower ends of the arms slidably engaging the doors.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ANTHONY A. AXIOTES.

